Electric switch.



No. 731,966. PATBNTED JUNE 23, 1903 G. F. SPLITDORP. ELECTRIC SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED MAB. 3. 1903.

I0 IODEL.

A" IN: Zalii IIIIE' Wi ma/maze UNITED STATES Patented June 23, 10.

PATENT OFFICE.

ELECTRIC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 731,966, dated June 23,1903. Application filed March 3, 1903. Serial No. 145,939. (No modehl Toall whom, it may concern/.2

Be it known that 1, CHARLES F. SPLI'IDORF, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at the borough of Manhattan, in the city, county, andState of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement inElectric Switches, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to switch devices for making and breakingelectric circuits; and

its particular functions are created by the provision of means whereby,with the employ ment of a single pivotal switel1-arn1,an electriccircuit may be either closed or opened with any one of a series ofbatteries or othersources of electrical energy, a further function-thatof positively interrupting the cireuitbeing performed with the aid of aremovable plug or contact member as a component element of such circuit.While of practical utility when employed in electric circuits ingeneral, such switching device is obviously of specific value inconjunction with the ignition apparatus of gasolene-engines forautomobiles, because it permits a new battery to take the place of anexhausted battery by the movement of a single switch-arm and avoids thenecessity of changing the terminal connec tions while upon a journey,thereby saving time and annoyance. able plug in the electric circuitperm its of said member being taken away by the operator when he leaveshis motor-vehicle and desires to prevent the unauthorized starting up ofthe engine.

In the drawings accompanying this specification, Figure 1 is a plan Viewof my switching device.

line a: 00 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a reverse plan view also indicating themanner of wiring The use of the remov-,

Fig. 2 is a section taken on the A nut D screws upon the end of bushingB, seating against the inner surface of mount A,

and thereby binding said bushing securely in 5 5 place, the tension ofsaid nut, however, not being sufficient to prevent arm 0 from beingswung upon its bearing in the performance of its functions.

Penetrating the mount A, at opposite sides of the bushing B, areapertures containing the screws 6 e, which pass through apertures in theouter ends of the tensional contact members E E, respectively, nuts 6 a,

respectively, securing the contact members E E and screws 6 e in place.The contact members E E consist of flat strips of springy material bent,as indicated, to clear the bushing 13 and nut D, their free ends, whichoppose each other, being oppositely curved, presentingthe rounded faces6 e, which project into the path of an imaginary line drawn through theaperture in bushing 13.

F indicates a plug composed of the head f andistem f, thefree end ofsaid stem having an annular recess f to form a seat for the faces e 6 ofcontact members E E, whereby the latter will tensionally retain saidplug F between them and prevent its accidental displacement from thebushing or socket B.

The-plug F forms a member of the electrical circuit, which is incompleteand'inoperativc when said plug is removed.

G H indicate the contact-heads of terminals g h, which project slightlyabove the surface of mount A and communicate, respectively, withseparate sources of electrical energy. Said contact-heads are located inthe path of the swinging contact-arm O, and

saidlatter member is crossed by a bridge I, 0

the latter being secured at each end by screws 1' i and held at suchdistance above the surface of mount A as to permit arm 0 to swing freelythereunder, but exerting some tension when the arm 0 is upon one of theheads G II to effect a firm contact between such members.

\Vhile I have illustrated only two contacts, as G H, I contemplate,where desirable, employing a greater number of such terminals,

each communicating with a separatesource [0-1 of electrical energy andallof such contacts being located in the path of the swinging arm C.

As illustrated in Fig. 3, the wiring J eX- tends from terminal g,through an intensifying-coil J and a battery or other source ofelectrical energy K, to the contact member E. WVire L connects themembers E and E, and when the plug F is inserted between said members EE the circuit may be completed by swinging the pivotal arm 0 intocontact with the contact-head G. Another distinct circuit M extends fromthe terminal h and includes the coil N and battery 0, being similarlycompleted by swinging the arm 0 until it rests upon the contact-head II.In like manner any desirable number of separate circuits may be formedby multiplying the number of independent batteries, coils, and terminalscorresponding to those illustrated,

respectively, at g G and h H and arranged in the path of the swingingcontact-arm C.

It is quite obvious that instead of including a coil, as N, in one orall of the circuits that may be provided I may employ either a bell,motor, or other device which it is desired to energize, and thus I donot limit my self to the inclusion of a coil in such circuits.

Having now described my invention, I declare that what I claim is' 1. Ina switch, an insulating-mount, a flanged bushing secured thereto, acontactarm pivoted about said bushing, a pair of spring contacts securedto said mount, having opposed, separated ends, an electric circuit, oneof whose terminals contacts with one of said spring-contacts, a wireconnecting said spring-contacts, an opposite terminal, and aseparately-portable plug arranged to removably enter said bushing,fitting between said spring-contacts, and closing the circuit when saidpivotal arm is iii-contact with said opposite terminal.

2. In a switch, an insulating mount, a flanged bushing secured therein,a contacting arm pivoted about said bushing, a pair of spring-contactssecured to said mount, having opposed, separated ends, a plurality ofnor mally open electric circuits, whose terminals of one polarity allcontact with one of said spring-contacts, awire connecting saidspringcontacts, a separate terminal of opposite polarity for each ofsaid circuits, and a separately-portable plug arranged to removablyenter said bushing, fitting between said spring-contacts, and closingany one of said circuits with whose opposite terminal said pivotal armhas been. brought into contact.

3. In a switch, an insulating-mount having an aperture extendingtherethrough, a pair of opposed spring-arms located beneath saidopening, a contact-button 011 said mount, an electrical circuit whoseopposite terminals are connected to said button and said arms, a pivotalarm carried by said mount and adapted to be brought into engagement withsaid button, and a removable, separately-portable plug adapted to beinserted in said aperture to establish an electrical connection betweensaid pivotal arm and said spring-arms.

4c.v In aswitch, an insulating-mount composed of a disk having anannular peripheral wall extending at one side thereof, and said mounthaving an aperture therethrough, a bushing within said aperture, a pairof opposed spring-arms secured at the inner side of said disk, and aplurality of contact-buttons mounted upon the outer side of said disk,together with a plurality of electric circuits whose terminals of onepolarity are in contact with one of said spring-arms, while theirterminals of opposite polarity are in contact, respectively, withseparate contact-buttons; a swinging contact-arm pivoted about saidbushing and including all said contact-buttons in its path of movement,and a separately-removable portable plug adapted to be inserted throughsaid bushing and to be frictionally held between said spring-arms, tocomplete any one of the aforesaid electrical circuits.

5; In a switch, an insulating mount, a flanged bushing secured thereto,a contactarm pivoted about said bushing, a pair of spring-contactssecured to said mount, having opposed, separated ends, an electriccircuit, one of whose terminals contacts with one of saidspringcontacts, an opposite terminal, and a separately-portable plugarranged to removably enter said bushing, fitting between saidspring-contacts, and closing the circuit when said pivotal arm is incontact with said opposite terminal.

6. In a switch, an insulating mount, a flanged bushing secured therein,a contacting arm pivoted about said bushing, a pair of ioospring-contacts secured to said mount, having opposed, separated ends, aplurality of normally open electric circuits, whose terminals of onepolarity all contact with one of said spring-contacts, a separateterminal of opposite polarity for each of said circuits, and a'separatelyportable plug arranged to removably enter said bushing,fitting between said spring-contacts, and closing any one of saidcircuits with whose opposite terminal said pivotal arm has been broughtinto contact.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in thepresence of two subscribing witnesses.

New York, February 27, 1903.

CHARLES E. SPLITDORF.

\Vitnesses:

F. W. BARKER, NAT. B. GHAnsEY.

